CHRISTIAN Salem will play his first game since the opening round as one of five changes for Melbourne ahead of its clash with Sydney on Saturday night.

Fremantle is the other big news in teams selected for round 12, losing three players to injury for its match with Brisbane from the 22 that upset the premier last weekend.

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Salem is back from a knee issue to bolster the Demons team that lost to the Dockers, joined by Adam Tomlinson and premiership trio James Harmes, Ed Langdon and Tom McDonald as inclusions.

Aside from Steven May, who will miss with concussion, coach Simon Goodwin has axed Trent Rivers, Jake Melksham, Sam Weideman and Toby Bedford.

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Sydney will be bolstered by the return of Nick Blakey from illness, while Joel Amartey has replaced the suspended Lance Franklin.

In Friday night’s match at Marvel Stadium, Gary Rohan will play just his second game of the season, recalled by Geelong to face the Western Bulldogs, while Rhys Stanley has also recovered from injury.

The Dogs regain emerging superstar Bailey Smith.

Taylor Walker is back to give Adelaide’s forward line some much-needed impetus for its match against West Coast at Adelaide Oval on Saturday, while the Eagles will regain Shannon Hurn.

Gold Coast has selected veteran Sam Day for his first game of 2022, replacing injured Levi Casboult, as it tries to make it back-to-back wins in Darwin against North Melbourne on Saturday night.

The Kangaroos will welcome back Ben McKay from injury to stiffen its defence.

Ben McKay walks off the field after the loss to North Melbourne in round eight on May 6, 2022. Picture: Getty Images

In Sunday’s match of the round, the Dockers will miss Matt Taberner, Michael Walters and Heath Chapman – all injured – to face the Lions.

Brisbane has recalled ace midfielder Hugh McCluggage after he missed last Saturday’s win over Greater Western Sydney with a hamstring injury.

Hawthorn has included midfielder Jaeger O’Meara and forward Jack Gunston in its extended 26-man squad to face Collingwood at the MCG on Sunday, while the Magpies have not omitted anyone from the team that squeaked home past Carlton last weekend.

Friday, June 3

Western Bulldogs v Geelong at Marvel Stadium, 7.50pm AEST

WESTERN BULLDOGS

In: B.Smith
Out: J.Sweet (omitted), L.Cleary (Medi-Sub)

Last week's sub: L.Cleary (unused)

GEELONG

In: G.Rohan, R.Stanley
Out: S.Neale (omitted), F.Evans (omitted), Q.Narkle (Medi-Sub)

Last week's sub: Q.Narkle (unused)

Saturday, June 4

Adelaide v West Coast at Adelaide Oval, 1.15pm ACST

ADELAIDE

In: P.Parnell, T.Walker
Out: J.Butts (concussion), L.Brown (HS Protocol), C.Jones (Medi-Sub)

New: Patrick Parnell

Last week's sub: C.Jones (replaced J.Butts) 

WEST COAST

In: S.Hurn
Out: J.Jones (concussion), J.Rotham (Medi-Sub)

Last week's sub: J.Rotham (replaced J.McGovern)

Gold Coast v North Melbourne at TIO Stadium, 4.05pm ACST

GOLD COAST

In: J.Farrar, S.Day
Out: L.Casboult (calf), J.Sharp (omitted), C.Constable (Medi-Sub)

Last week's sub: C.Constable (unused)

NORTH MELBOURNE

In: B.McKay
Out: C.Zurhaar (foot), J.Mahony (Medi-Sub)

Last week's sub: J.Mahony (unused)

Melbourne v Sydney at the MCG, 7.25pm AEST

MELBOURNE

In: A.Tomlinson, J.Harmes, E.Langdon, T.McDonald, C.Salem
Out: T.Bedford (omitted), S.Weideman (omitted), T.Rivers (omitted), J.Melksham (omitted), S.May (concussion), L.Dunstan (Medi-Sub)

Last week's sub: L.Dunstan (replaced S.May)

SYDNEY

In: N.Blakey, J.Amartey
Out: L.Franklin (suspension), M.Roberts (omitted), B.Campbell (omitted)

Last week's sub: R.Fox (unused)

Sunday, June 5

Hawthorn v Collingwood at the MCG, 2.10pm AEST

HAWTHORN

In: J.O'Meara, J.Gunston, N.Reeves, J.Callow, J.Morris, K.Hartigan
Out: J.Scrimshaw (concussion), S.Frost (suspension), F.Maginness (Medi-Sub)

Last week's sub: F.Maginness (replaced J.Scrimshaw)

COLLINGWOOD

In: T.Ruscoe, R.McInnes, I.Chugg
Out: None

Last week's sub: B.McCreery (unused)

Fremantle v Brisbane at Optus Stadium, 3.20pm AWST

FREMANTLE

In: N.Wilson, C.Blakely, L.Meek, M.Crowden, E.Hughes, N.Erasmus
Out: M.Taberner (back), M.Walters (hamstring), H.Chapman (hamstring)

Last week's sub: B.Banfield (replaced Matt Taberner) 

BRISBANE

In: H.McCluggage, T.Berry, T.Fullarton, R.Mathieson
Out: M.Robinson (Medi-Sub)

Last week's sub: M.Robinson (unused)